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IndyCar Introduces New Customizable Chassis for 2012

By Dave Caldwell July 15, 2010 1:51 pmJuly 15, 2010 1:51 pm

Ron McQueeney for IndyCarThe IndyCar series revealed computer renderings of the new configurable Dallara chassis.

The IndyCar series, dwarfed by Nascar for more than a decade and continuing to lose significance, tried making a splash on Wednesday at the Indianapolis Museum of Art by introducing a new car strategy for the 2012 season. But the plan, drawn up as a way for more people to get involved in the series, is only partial, and apparently on purpose.

Dallara, the Italian company that has manufactured chassis for the open-wheel racing series since 2003, was selected by a committee to produce safety cells for the racecars, but series officials said the aero kits for the cars could be made by anyone. The aero kits, including the wings, side pods and engine covers, would make each manufacturer’s car distinctive, potentially stoking interest in the series.

IndyCar officials are hoping that the affordability of the “safety cells,” which will be made in a new plant in Indianapolis and sell for $349,000 each, will be attractive to smaller race teams. It will be possible to buy a complete chassis for $385,000, or 45 percent less than the current formula. Officials hope the parts will be more durable, further reducing costs.

At one point during a news conference in Indianapolis, Tony Purnell, the former head of Ford’s Premier Performance Division and one of seven members of a committee that devised the strategy, said, “Our goal is to reach out and challenge the automotive and aerospace industries.

“So come on, Ford, come on G.M., Lotus, Ferrari, come on Lockheed, come on Boeing, come on you engineers working in small technology businesses,” he said. “We want you to rise to the challenge. There’s a framework here to showcase your technical prowess without a major raid on the piggy bank.”

IndyCar officials are unsure exactly which manufacturers will step up to make these aero kits. Five designs were considered by the committee for the chassis, including the radical DeltaWing, which looks like a Batmobile combined with a fighter jet. But the four also-rans, including Lola, would have to alter their designs to fit the Dallara safety cells.

“The preliminary conversations and indications we have had with the auto manufacturers have been very well received,” Brian Barnhart, the president for competition and racing operations for the series, said in a teleconference with reporters later on Wednesday.

But those have been only preliminary conversations. So when holograms of what the cars might look like were shown at the art museum on Wednesday, they were only possibilities. Randy Bernard, the first-year chief executive for the series, labeled the presentation as simply “a great starting point.” Safety, he said, was a higher priority than speed.

“We also have to keep this in check in relativity to the fact that we are under a timeline, and I’m not sure how many different manufacturers will be able to produce an engine by 2012,” Mr. Bernard said. “But the offer, it’s out there right now, and we are sure optimistic and welcome anyone that wants to participate.”

Each team will be able to use two different aero kits during a season, providing wiggle room. Some people who posted online comments during the IndyCar showing of the presentation were skeptical, disappointed or negative. One user likened the aero kits to the features included with a Mr. Potato Head toy — simply adornments. Drivers were more positive.

Will Power, the Team Penske driver, said: “We’ve just seen examples, but I think it’s the exact direction we need to go in to entice more manufacturers to come in, both engine and chassis. The car’s a lighter, faster car, and it’s safer. I think as a driver, it’s exactly what you want to hear: faster, safer car.”

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